Voice of the people (letter).

Scout Volunteers

April 15, 2000|By Karen Case, President, Girl Scouts of Chicago.

CHICAGO — On April 22, Girl Scouts of the USA will celebrate the accomplishments of more than 880,000 women and men nationwide who volunteer as Girl Scout leaders, trainers and mentors for girls aged 5 to 17.

On behalf of the entire board of Girl Scouts of Chicago, I would like to thank all of our local volunteers (who currently number about 2,200) for contributing so much time and effort within the neighborhoods and communities of Chicago. All of you truly make a difference in the lives of girls.

Without volunteers, quite simply, there would be no Girl Scouting. Our volunteers are at the very heart of Girl Scouts, and we are grateful to them for the contributions they so selflessly provide. This is why GSUSA has designated April 22 as Girl Scout Leaders Day--to acknowledge adult volunteers whose commitment, dedication and constant effort help girls grow strong.

For those of you who have a daughter in Girl Scouting, take a moment to think about her leader. Think about how her leader guides your daughter to experience new challenges and gain new skills for the future. Think about the amount of time the leader devotes to preparing for the meetings while balancing family, job and other time constraints. On April 22, I urge you to take the time to thank her. Write her a note of thanks, or better yet, tell her in person, "You're doing a great job, and we appreciate it."

For those of you who are Girl Scout leaders and other volunteers, know that we recognize all you do and are truly thankful. You are one of the keys to helping today's girls become tomorrow's leaders. Together we can help even more girls grow strong through Girl Scouting.